Past, present and future travels around the United States in our motorhomes.

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Saturday, September 15, 2012

Marti’s Musings: More Progress

We have been here in South Carolina near our daughter/SIL/grandsons for the past month. We did a lot, and we are really learning how to live the retired life! :c)

Much of our time was spent making memories with the grandtreasures – which Paul has mentioned in the blog – football games, sleepovers, learning to play horseshoes, playing Wii, geocaching, soccer, school start up – phew! It was busy, but that is what memories are made from.

I was even able to make progress on Christmas preparations. For every grandchild I have hand made each a Christmas stocking for their very first Christmas. The average time it takes is three months with all the embroidery and hand stitching required. This year, two stockings had to be done, with the arrival of Anabelle and Rebekah. This past week I finished the second stocking! (Phew!)

Yahoo! Now I will focus on sewing dresses and other machine stitching for Christmas – but most of that will have to wait until after our upcoming Branson, MO trip. Sewing takes up more room than hand embroidery, and with two other folks living with us (my sister Gail and Paul's dad) for ten days while at Branson – well, Christmas prep is on hold until after then.

I did a little project for Owie, a Robin Hood hat for a dress up party at school. The boys were fascinated with my sewing machine.

They each had to take a turn operating the sewing machine.

Even though we were here a month, there are still things on our To-Do – hard to believe we ran out of time when we were here so long. Perhaps the retirement thing is really kicking in, and we just don’t feel pressured to get things done "R-i-g-h-t. N-o-w.", unless necessary…yup, Progress!

So, tomorrow we head out and will have some mini vacation time on a leisurely 900 mile drive to Branson, MO with five days to get there. Afterwards we'll slowly head back east back towards more grandtreasure time, the Carolina Clan gathering, and then the holidays begin (Ack!). Where does the time go?

Now I understand when folks say: “I don’t know how I had time to work!” Life is as busy as we want it, and we are loving it. Progress!

Behind in reading. Maybe I'll do point form.1) Watching kids play any "field game" is a hoot. They all swarm around the ball like bees in a swarm.2) Wouldn't you just once like to meet the very smart Engineers who comes up with some of the things that need to be dealt with? Speaking for myself, it's probably best it never happens. I wouldn't do well in prison.3) I've wondered about those mattresses. Now I know what happens when they cr*p out. Nothing else to say.Have fun.

I know I sound like a parrot...but I love your hand-made stockings. What a great tradition and keepsake. I envy your talent. I follow over 15 rv blogs and although I enjoy them all, I rarely comment. But had to send you a note. Happy travels. We are from St. Louis and Branson has been a destination for us for over 30 years. If you haven't been to Mel's Hard Luck Diner, try it. The servers sing between delivering meals. Fun place.

Another beautiful Christmas stocking comment...they are fabulous!As for the 900 miles, your hubby has quite the reputation and if you can slow him down and convince him to spend 5 days getting there, you'll enjoy the trip as much as the destination :)

Who are we?

Paul is a retired career U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer (1981 to 2011) and Marti is a retired Nursing Home Administrator. We currently (2014) have three children, all married and eight grandkids.
We have traveled all around the U.S. in a high-speed, part time travel mode, whetting our desire to travel fulltime in our RV. On December 5, 2011, we realized our dream and headed out on the road as newly minted full time RV travelers.